The defending NBA champion Warriors inhabit a different world than the Nets, but Golden State coach Steve Kerr has been impressed by the job Nets general manager Sean Marks and coach Kenny Atkinson are doing to rebuild the franchise.

Asked for his assessment Sunday, Kerr said, “Watching them the last year and a half has been impressive in terms of the culture that’s being built. Obviously, I’m impressed with what Sean Marks has done in terms of maybe having the worst hand to play with as a GM of anybody in the history of this league. That may be hyperbole, but I don’t know if I could find another example of a guy taking a job with a bad team with no draft picks.

“And yet he’s hired a great coach; Kenny’s doing a great job. I mentioned the culture — you can feel it. You can feel when you play them, they play with energy and passion. So they’re building something. Obviously, it’s going to take more time, but there’s a foundation being laid. I can see that.”

Kerr said Kevin Durant sat out Sunday to allow an ankle injury suffered Saturday night in Philadelphia to calm down. He said it wasn’t a case of resting a healthy player and praised NBA commissioner Adam Silver for adjusting the schedule this season to eliminate what Kerr called “insane” trips.

Because Kerr hasn’t hesitated to express his political and social views, he was asked about an exchange of Twitter fire between President Trump and LaVar Ball, who said Trump had little to do with arranging for his son LiAngelo and two other UCLA players to get home from China, where they were accused of shoplifting.

“Modern life,” Kerr said. “Two people seeking attention and they’re both getting it. I’m sure both guys are really happy . . . It would be nice for all of us if both of them would just be quiet.”